Delivered from the Law of self by serving the Law of the Spirit

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” (Rom. 8:1,2).

This was the grand conclusion to the case against the Law that Paul was building. “But now we are delivered from the Law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter…. So then with the mind I myself serve the Law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.” (Rom. 7:6,25). Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the Law of God, neither indeed can be. (Rom. 8:7).

Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the Law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to Him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. (Rom. 7:4).

“We should serve [the Law] in newness of spirit” is what Paul was saying. I used to misunderstand and dislike the idea of serving the Law. I wanted to serve a Person—Jesus. But when understood correctly, that is exactly what Paul was saying, except with an added PERSON. We serve Jesus and His Father. God, the great Schoolmaster, uses His Law as His Representative to escort to His Son all who will be humbled by it and cry out for a faithful Saviour.

“All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me; and him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.” (John 6:37).

“Before faith came, we were kept under the Law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.

Wherefore the Law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster....

Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, …

But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.” (Gal. 3:23,24; 4:1,2).

“For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth.

If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the Father chasteneth not?” (Heb. 12:6,7).

The Father is the great Law creator, Christ the only Begotten of the Father, “Messiah the Prince” (Dan. 9:25), “the great Prince which standeth for the children of thy people” (Dan. 12:1), is His Chief of police, and His angelic hosts are His police force.

“He doeth according to His will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay His hand, or say unto Him, What doest Thou?” (Dan. 4:35).

Both members of the Godhead stand behind the Law of love and righteousness. Both are infinite love. Both are infinite righteousness.

When we are justified and remade into children in His image we no longer need the Law—as a schoolmaster. “For [we] are all children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.” (Gal. 3:26. We are heirs, as this world’s princes govern according to the education that they learned under their “tutors and governors”. Once appointed they must abide strictly by their training. The object lesson from Paul to the Galatians is that once we have patiently learned our hard lessons of life, then we are appointed to our place in His plan for us. “For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.” (Heb. 10:36). Once we have received Christ’s justification and His promised Spirit, then we are 100% faithful to His will, His Law, as are the princes of this world, which “are ordained of God.” (Rom. 13:1).

We don’t stop serving God and His Law because we serve Christ and His cross. We serve the Law of God through the cross of Christ. We serve both God and Christ, both Law and Christ—we serve “Thy Law” (Ps. 119:97). “We are delivered from the Law” (Rom. 7:6) through “Thy Law”. The Law, which was dead without a knowledge of the Person of Jesus, and thus “was weak through [our] flesh” (Rom. 8:3), caused us to keep it by our own strength through lifeless “motions” (Rom. 7:5), “dead works” (Heb. 9:14; 6:1). We were automatons, lifeless ethical robots, going through the church related motions and religious routines, keeping the Law by our own efforts.

“The principle that man can save himself by his own works lay at the foundation of every heathen religion; it had now become the principle of the Jewish religion. Satan had implanted this principle. Wherever it is held, men have no barrier against sin.” Desire of Ages, p. 35. The power of Satan over us is a Personless Law, a Christless Law, a loveless Law.

“Behold My servant, whom I uphold; Mine elect, in whom My soul delighteth; I have put My Spirit upon Him: He shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.

He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause His voice to be heard in the street.

A bruised reed shall He not break, and the smoking flax shall He not quench: He shall bring forth judgment unto truth.

He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till He have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for His Law. ” (Isa. 42:1-4).

“The strength of sin is the law.” (1Cor. 15:56). But, the strength of righteousness is Thy Law. The personless Law is a carnal law. Thy Law is the Law of the Spirit who raised His Son from the dead to make Him the channel for His Law to enter our heart.

“Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to Thy word.

With my whole heart have I sought Thee: O let me not wander from Thy commandments.

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee.

Blessed art Thou, O LORD: teach me Thy statutes.

With my lips have I declared all the judgments of Thy mouth.

I have rejoiced in the way of Thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.

I will meditate in Thy precepts, and have respect unto Thy ways.” (Ps. 119:9-15).